Menu

Yes, students can cook!

Not everyone is a Gordon Ramsey or Mary Berry in the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t make some decent meals for yourself!

Life isn’t just about pot noodle and microwavable burgers (sadly), parents get awfully concerned when they learn that you have not eaten some fruit or vegetables in a while, and, despite the smaller budget, there is certainly no need to starve.

The stereotypical image of a lazy student who doesn’t or can’t cook is, for the most part, wrong. In fact in most of the accommodation on campus, the kitchen is the main social space providing a great place to cook, study and chat.

Unfortunately there is no excuse not to cook: there are loads of blogs, websites and YouTube videos dedicated to student cooking – all of which are cheap and simple to prepare. Vlogs such as SORTEDfood are my particular favourite for inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/user/sortedfood.

In addition to this, there are numerous cooking books for students, but these are often expensive (money which could be spent on food instead, so buy second-hand if you can)- however I do recommend Nosh for Students by Joy May if you are desperate to add a cookery book to your collection.

Of course cooking doesn’t have to be expensive. The two campus shops should stock everything you need and there is also a Tesco a short walk (or bus ride) from the main campus. If you go into Colchester town itself you’ll find a Sainsbury’s, Aldi and a myriad of other food sources. There is also a market on campus every Thursday which allows you to stock up on a few bits for your cupboards.

Here is one recipe that I love, which is easy to make and costs next to nothing:

Put the spaghetti in a bowl, cover with the soup, top with the egg and sprinkle with plenty of parmesan and black pepper.

Perhaps add some meatballs and mince to help bulk up this meal further.

Remember, fruit and veg will provide great pick-me-ups for when you’re feeling a bit ill or drained of energy. In particular, Vitamin C is vital to keep “Freshers flu” at bay!Failing that, you could always eat out at the numerous food outlets on campus- see this handy guide as to what is available: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=GfHO34H75S0&feature=youtu.be – just make sure you budget for it!